Q: “I’m having trouble adjusting to my new job as the office manager for a small business. My biggest problem is that one of the owners, ‘Emily,’ behaves very erratically. I got this job because Emily and I have been friends for more than seven years. We have often shared personal problems and helped each other as neighbors. Our relationship is more important to me than this position. I would like to help Emily overcome her emotional instability, because it is making my job much more difficult. What do you advise?” Emily’s Friend
Strong communication skills are a must for anyone in the workforce today, and there are some things that simply should never come out of your mouth, says Roxana Hewertson, CEO of Highland Consulting Group.
Twitter is a popular and important marketing tool these days. It’s easy to come up with interesting tweets for a fun brand that sells something people love, but what do you tweet to bring people’s attention to a relatively boring product or service?
Avoid using the term ASAP; it means different things to different people. Employees faced with an “ASAP assignment” may not know whether that means they should instantly drop whatever they’re doing to complete the project or whether they should squeeze it into their already busy schedule and just do their best.
Q: “I recently replaced a manager who held this job for seven years. Since the employees are obviously accustomed to his style, I want to make it clear that they have a new boss with a new way of doing things. Another manager told me that he changed his staff’s seating arrangement on his very first day. Do you think that would help send the message?” Making Waves
Training another employee, particularly an underperformer, provides an opportunity to put your expertise and professionalism front and center. Here’s how to coach your colleague to his or her best performance and get your player into the game.
It’s easy to get emotional when a bank makes a mistake and money is at stake, but experts interviewed bypersonal finance reporter Daniel Bortz say you’re more likely to get your way if you take a measured approach to addressing the issue.
Angie Morgan and Courtney Lynch were among the only women in their Marine Corps officer training school. The training workshops they run today for female managers focus on these Marine-centric ideas.
For Apple device users, the Mailbox for iOS application is a great new way to manage your email, says Emmanuel Banks. Basically, it turns your email into an efficient to-do list that helps you boost your productivity.